St. John of the Cross. priest  & doctor

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13

 Woe to the rebellious, 

The defiled, the city that op­presses.  She did not pay attention to the call nor accept the correction; she did not trust Yahweh nor did she approach her God.  At that time I will give truthful lips to the pagan nations that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve him with the same zeal. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia they will bring offerings to me.

God in the midst of the meek On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds when you were unfaithful to me; I will have removed from your midst the conceited and arrogant and my holy mountain will no longer be for you a pretext for boasting.

I will leave within you a poor and meek people who seek refuge in God.   The remnant of Israel will not act unjustly nor will they speak falsely, nor will deceitful words be found in their mouths. They will eat and rest with none to threaten them.

 

Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19& 23

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

Matthew 21:28-32

 Jesus went on to say, “What do you think of this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said to him: ‘Son, today go and work in my vineyard.’  And the son answered: ‘I don’t want to.’ But later he thought better of it and went.  Then the father went to the second and gave him the same command. This son replied: ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go.

 Which of the two did what the father wanted?” They answered, “The first.” And Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you: the publicans and the prostitutes are ahead of you on the way to the kingdom of heaven.   For John came to show you the way of goodness but you did not believe him, yet the publicans and the prostitutes did. You were witnesses of this, but you neither repented nor believed him.

 

 Gospel Reflection：

 We sometimes speak without thinking. Our words get ahead before we even realize what we are saying. Then regrets come late. And we try to repair the damage of our idle words.

Just like in the gospel today, the father asks his two sons to go to his vineyard. The first rejects the father’s request out rightly, but after some time, changes his decision and goes to the vineyard.

The second son says he will but did not go afterwards. With this story, Jesus is able to highlight the difference between His audience who accepted God readily but does not do what God wants.

And those whose lives reject God seemingly but later on repent and do what God wants them to do. for it is not in acceptance alone that our following of God depends on. It is what we do afterwards that matter.

                                           

                         “In the twilight of life, God will not judge us on our earthly possessions and human successes,

              but on how well we have loved.” – John of the Cross